The NBA and Players Association are discussing the formation of a committee to study the age minimum for the league’s draft with the possibility that no immediate changes to the “one-and-done” rule will come in the finalization of the new collective bargaining agreement, a league official told Yahoo! Sports.
“Only the agreement to have the committee may be part of the new CBA,” the source said. “I doubt it will have any affect on e 2012 draft.”
via Committee could study NBA draft rule - NBA - Yahoo! Sports.
That’s good news for players like Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Quincy Miller, and other freshmen in a loaded class looking to make the jump. It’s also a more fair approach since players may have made their choice on college based on the one-year system (cough* Kentucky* cough). But what’s getting lost in all this is an item towards the end of Woj’s piece which outlines what the real system will likely be. Instead of just a straight “two-and-through” system wherein players must wait two years, it’ll likely be an “18-or-2" system. Under that system, players could jump at 18 to the draft, but if they are undrafted, they can return to college eligibility. From there, they’d have to wait two years. That’s a much better system overall, allowing players who are ready to make the jump immediately (see: Rose, Derrick) while making sure players that aren’t get two full years of seasoning. Imagine how much better Hasheem Thabeet’s career, or at least draft positioning would have been for him under that system.
But that will have to get worked out later. The best news about the committee is that it means this won’t hold up ratifying the new CBA this week. It’s another potential pitfall to the deal that could save the system avoided. Rationality and common sense! Where has this been for six months?